Murray Harbour-Murray River

The Murray River/ Murray Harbour Island Narratives Project outlines the areas history by going through five "eras" from pre-settlement to today. It touches on topics such as natural history, family histories, economic and social change, and even highlights a few interesting local characters. Although it focuses mostly on Murray River and Murray Harbour, it touches on the surrounding communities of Beach Point, Guernsey Cove, Abney, and White Sands as well.

This project couldn’t have occurred without the help of community members. I’d like to extend special thanks to Leroy MacDonald for allowing us to access and use the photo albums of his late mother Carmen MacDonald. Carmen spent years gathering an extraordinary collection of historic photos and information, and whether she realized it or not, she was one of the area’s most important historians. Special thanks also goes out to Sarah Jackson, who generously allowed us to use the photo albums she has been compiling for years, and she continues to collect and share these valuable community records. All of these wonderful photos are in the digital collection, so don’t forget to check that out! Thanks also to Charles Job, who allowed us to post the fascinating letters that his great-aunt Pansy wrote to his mother from Guernsey Cove. Fannie Moore and Mabel Alley allowed us to interview them for the site and shared their experiences of the area, so a thousand thanks to both of them. David Hume, Sandra MacKay, and the Murray Harbour Historical Society pointed me to sources and shared genealogical information with me, and their help is greatly appreciated. The staff at the Public Archives and Records Office were essential to the project, and their patience and knowledge were outstanding. Finally, thanks also to Kaye and my wonderful researchers, Shannon and Molly, for your support and hard work on the project.